In wireless communication systems such as a Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”) system utilizing a forward and reverse channel received signal strength of a wireless communication device can be transmitted to the network. For example, in a CDMA wireless communication system a wireless communication device constantly monitors and measures signal strength of a pilot signal from various base station sectors. The data rate control (“DRC”) channel is used by the wireless communication device to indicate to the access network which sector the wireless communication device sees as the strongest leg within the active set. Based on the signal strength in the forward direction the wireless device dictates a modulation and coding scheme (which determines the forward channel data rate). The wireless communication device selects the best serving sector and translates its predicted channel to interference (“C/I”) value into the supportable forward traffic channel rate.
However bi-directional channels do not exist, for example, when using broadcast/multicast services (“BCMCS”). The Third Generation Partnership Project 2 or 3GPP2 standards define BCMCS as a service intended to provide a flexible and efficient mechanism to send common (the same) information to multiple users using the most efficient use of air interface and network resources BCMCS. BCMCS services only use the forward channel. Therefore, the DRC cannot be sent from the wireless communication device to the network when using BCMCS services.
Accordingly, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.